Sharad Pawar follows protocol, stands up when nephew Ajit comes to official meeting

Pune: NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar stood up when he came face to face with his estranged nephew and Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar at an official meeting here on Saturday.

Her father followed protocol, said Sharad Pawar's daughter and Baramati MP Supriya Sule, and advised all political workers to emulate his example.

Pawar, 83, attended a meeting of the District Planning and Development Council here in his capacity as a Rajya Sabha member.

As soon as Ajit Pawar, who was to chair the meeting as guardian minister of the district, walked in, the senior Pawar rose to his feet like other participants did.

"He stood up to follow protocol, and this is what all political workers should take inspiration from," Sule said at her party's rally in Pimpri Chinchwad later in the evening.

Ajit led a rebellion against his uncle last year and split the NCP to join the Shiv Sena-BJP government in Maharashtra.